Skipping church

Sometimes I wonder if going to church matters.

I walked into the bar this morning and this was the first thing I heard...

"Seriously preach, don't go canceling church again. We need that s*** man."

I had a wedding. A few people had a trip to the beach. We decided to just take a week off and recover/travel. Guess not everyone got the memo or agreed with the vote.

I walked in on a cranky group of people this morning. Short tempers and quick fuses. Cigarette smoke was extra thick and cuss words were flying. All I could do was laugh. Then someone else started laughing. Then we all laughed and someone said they missed Jesus.

We missed church. We missed communion. We missed being together. Maybe we were cranky because we didn't get some church last week.

That's never been the case for me in churches. I know a lot of people who secretly like when church is cancelled...they feel less guilty about not being there or not wanting to go. Church has become another obligation. Another thing they owe God.

After we laughed, we went back to yelling, cussing, and smoking. I didn't say we were perfect.

But I'm glad they value the space...

Pretzels, eggs, and the Trinity...

"Explain God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and how they are work together because my trainer told me..."

That question flew at me this morning at church.

What strikes me is how sure I am about all sorts of things I think I know until I'm asked.

My first and most honest answer was "I don't know."

Seriously...you try and explain it to a group of people who don't know your Bible language. Who haven't read a commentary, or N.T. Wright, Tim Keller, or even Peter Rollins. You explain the ideas behind the Trinity without the benefit of passing them along to the senior pastor.

"I don't know" seemed like a good place to start conversation.

We fumbled around and talked about the Trinity being like an egg or pretzel. It was good.

In other jobs I've had "I don't know" would have meant upset parents, elder meetings, and discussions about my role...

I don't know. I like church when I don't have to know all the time.